Saturday Racing Tips from Steve Ryder

Island Native (best priced at 5/2) will have frustrated previous connections with form figures of 2232 in recent starts but hopefully he can make a winning stable debut for Mick Appleby and the Horsewatchers. The three-year-old finished 2nd by ½ length over this course and distance in October off a mark of 54 before placing twice at Wolverhampton on his two subsequent starts.

Gelded since his last run, Island Native can hopefully get off the mark for his new connections in this race of a mark of 58 with Oisin Murphy retaining the ride. 

The first five in the market all look to have a good chance in this listed novices’ chase but preference goes to Broadway Boy (best priced at 9/2) who has a progressive profile. The Nigel Twiston-Davies trained five-year-old won on his final two starts last season including at this track before beating Mofasa at Worcester by 9 ½ lengths on his chasing debut.

That rival has since boosted that form with a victory at Huntingdon before Broadway Boy finished 2nd behind Flooring Porter over this course and distance last time. 

Broadway Boy was only beaten 2 ½ lengths that day having to concede 5lbs to dual Stayers’ Hurdle winner Flooring Porter and he is expected to hold strong claims in this race. 

The Real Whacker is respected off top weight but preference goes to Fugitif (best priced at 14/1) who finished 2nd on all three of his starts at Cheltenham last season. The Richard Hobson trained eight-year-old finished only a length behind Il Ridoto off a mark of 143 in January before finishing 2nd behind Seddon in the Plate at the Cheltenham Festival off a mark of 149. He finished well beaten at Aintree on his final start last season but he has a poor record at that track and that was at Grade 1 level.

Fugitif now drops back into handicap company off a mark of 153 and connections now fit the gelding with first time cheekpieces for this race. Soft ground won’t inconvenience him and he is expected to run well with five places widely available. 

Real Steel (best priced at 18/1) hasn’t ran over hurdles since 2018 but he looks well handicapped off a mark of 126 given his good run in the Munster National off a mark of 134 last month. His previous start at Cheltenham came when 6th in the Gold Cup in 2020 when trained by Willie Mullins but it is worth remembering that he won the Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown last season off a mark of 131 over fences. 

This return to hurdling looks a good move for Real Steel off a 7lb lower mark than chasing and he looks worth taking a chance on at the prices with Danny Mullins only carrying 10st7lbs.